Improved table-napkin



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IMPROVED TABLE-NAPKIN.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 53,468, dated March 27, 1866.

To all whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, ALBERT L. MUNsoN, of the city and county of New Haven, and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Table-Napkins; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and clear description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying` drawing, making a part of this specification, in which is represented a plan View of my invention.

The nature of my invention consists in the production ofa napkin made of paper and cloth combined, whether by attaching a single thickness of each material together or by uniting paper to each side of the cloth.

The thorough purification of the materials of which paper is made is essential in the manufacture of good paper, and hence the perfeet tness of paper for table uses.

Napkins in cloth, heretofore in common use in families. are nearly as troublesome and as expensive in washing and ironing as other articles of textile fabrics, and as in many households they are brought repeatedly to the table without washing, and are not unfrequently carelessly interchanged, dissatisfaction and disgust are not unfrequently experienced.

Dispensing` with the use of such articles, especially at hotels, restaurants, and other public places, in which, though the utmost neatness may be observed, the suspicions of the guest often diminish the satisfaction with which he par-takes of his meal7 is even more unsatisfactory.

The production of a good napkin of perfect cleanliness at an inconsiderable cost is therefore a much desired object, and is fully aecomplished in Iny invention.

Paper of various kinds and qualities are adapted to this purpose; but I prefer a white, Whitey-brown, or tinted paper of good body, and tenacious, soft, and flexible, such as, when united with cloth, shall resemble, as nearly as possible, unstarched napkin-cloth.

The cloth designed to be used in this manufacture is very thin and low-priced muslin or cotton-cloth.

The Inode of attaching the paper and cloth together may be the same as that generally pursued in preparing cloth and paper for the manufacture of shirt-collars. In the sizing used to imite them a small quantity of glycerine or other substance adapted to preserve a soft and iiexible condition of the fabric may be advantageously used.

The napkins may be cutoutorfbrmed square, oblong,elliptieal, round,star-shaped,scalloped, or of any other desired shape, to be so prepared in any of the known modes of cutting, excising, or punching paper or cloth, and they may also be perforated according to any desired pattern or style, in imitation ofembroidery, open work, or fringe. They may be embossed in imitation ofdamask and other woven fabrics, and with borders and other desired figures.

Color-printing may also be imparted to one or both sides of this fabric, especially such as will serve to render more complete its resemblance to woven fabrics.

This combined material is particularly applicable to the purpose when it is desired to use the napkins as spreads beneath or above the plates, dishes, Ste.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent ofthe United States, is

l. A paper and cloth napkin, substantially as described. g

2. A paperand cloth napkin when embossed or printed or perforated, substantially as described.

Iu testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 6th day of M arch, 1866, in presence of the two subscribing witnesses.

A. L. MUNSON.

Witnesses:

WM. R. BRADFORD, J. B. WISE. 

